General Motors

General Motors says it will add a third shift and about 750 new jobs at its Wentzville Assembly plant in early 2015.

The new shift will help build two new midsize pickup truck models, the Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon. It will also produce the Chevrolet Express and GMC Savana full-size vans, which GM describes as solid sellers.

"It's our belief that this is a long-term add for the plant and a very bright future for all the people working here," said plant manager Nancy Laubenthal.

Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon joined Ford officials in Detroit on Monday to highlight the automaker’s production in Missouri, most notably its 2015 Ford F-150, which will be built at the company’s Kansas City Assembly Plant in Claycomo.

On Sunday, the governor had done the same thing: He appeared with General Motors officials at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit to promote the auto manufacturer’s new mid-size truck, the 2015 GMC Canyon, which is to be built in Wentzville.

General Motors broke ground on Monday for a new $380 million expansion to its Wentzville Assembly Plant.

When GM declared Chapter 11 in 2009 the Wentzville plant was subject to talks of being shut down. Few people envisioned a day like today when the company would be adding 500,000 square feet to Wentzville.

The company says the move will create some 1,000 new jobs, with priority given to workers from the soon-to-be closed plant in Shreveport, La.

Updated 4:50 p.m. with comments from Nixon, company and union officials, and employees.

The General Motors plant in Wentzville, Mo. got some welcome news this morning.

A $380 million investment in the plant, negotiated into the latest contract between GM and the United Auto Workers, means the Chevrolet Colorado will be built at the St. Charles County plant beginning some time next year.

General Motors can move forward on a proposed $380 million expansion of its plant in Wentzville, now that a union has approved local work rules for the plant. The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that members of United Auto Workers Local 2250 approved the four-year local work rules contract on Thursday. GM has said the expansion will create up to 1,850 jobs for the region. GM plans to build a new mid-size pickup at Wentzville as part of the expansion.

"The announcement made by the UAW seems to be a positive indication that contract negotiations went well," said Lambi. " And it seems to me that I would expect that contract to be approved and ratified."

Gov. Jay Nixon says he is strongly encouraged by news that General Motors may expand its factory in the eastern Missouri city of Wentzville.

The United Auto Workers said Tuesday that GM plans to invest $380 million and bring 1,850 new jobs to the Wentzville plant as part of a proposed contact deal with the labor union. Plans call for the addition of a second shift to produce full-size vans. The factory also would start making a midsize pickup truck.